Do You Care About Cellphones at Your Gaming Table?

Krimson · May 05, 2018, 08:22:45 PM

Quote from: Gronan of Simmerya;1037699Maybe some critics are right... maybe "gamers" really are a bunch of social maladroits.

What surprises me is when people are surprised at a group of nerds acting like nerds.

Gronan of Simmerya · May 05, 2018, 08:33:17 PM

Quote from: Krimson;1037737What surprises me is when people are surprised at a group of nerds acting like nerds.

If you think gamers are nerds, you've never seen a bunch of model railroaders impassionedly discussing the difference between the SD-7 and SD-9. Yet, they show up on time.

Of course, I think it's mostly because if you show up late for a model railroad operating session, you don't get a train.

Krimson · May 05, 2018, 08:35:19 PM

Quote from: Gronan of Simmerya;1037741If you think gamers are nerds, you've never seen a bunch of model railroaders impassionedly discussing the difference between the SD-7 and SD-9. Yet, they show up on time.

Of course, I think it's mostly because if you show up late for a model railroad operating session, you don't get a train.

So there you go. Tell your players if they show up late, they have to play a henchman.

Christopher Brady · May 05, 2018, 10:38:52 PM

Quote from: Gronan of Simmerya;1037741If you think gamers are nerds, you've never seen a bunch of model railroaders impassionedly discussing the difference between the SD-7 and SD-9. Yet, they show up on time.

Of course, I think it's mostly because if you show up late for a model railroad operating session, you don't get a train.

We are nerds, but like all things in life, it's a matter of degrees. But sadly, to most of the human population, we are the Nerds.

But not these kinds:

HappyDaze · May 06, 2018, 11:58:21 AM

I don't mind if a player checks texts and steps away for the occasional phone call. Hell, when I'm GMing, I have to do it for work (as the manager of a nursing floor, I'm effectively on-call 24/7), but if it's going to take more than a minute or two to resolve I'll call for a break. Generally everyone likes breaks as they usually have an orifice they need to fill or empty.

Ratman_tf · May 06, 2018, 02:24:54 PM

Quote from: soltakss;1037550But, there again, in our old RQ2 group with between 6 and 8 players, we had a player who used to bring a book and read it when it wasn't his turn in combat, when it was his turn, he'd put a bookmark in, look at the table and ask "What's happened since my last turn?"

As a GM, I'd be asking myself why the player didn't feel engaged.

soltakss · May 06, 2018, 04:19:16 PM

Quote from: Ratman_tf;1037808As a GM, I'd be asking myself why the player didn't feel engaged.

It was many years ago, with a multi-GM campaign. We did ask him and he basically said "Why should I worry about what happens to everyone?", admittedly, we had around 10 PCs fighting complex battles with hundreds of NPCs, so a round of combat could take up to half an hour.

Gronan of Simmerya · May 06, 2018, 05:19:59 PM

Quote from: soltakss;1037815It was many years ago, with a multi-GM campaign. We did ask him and he basically said "Why should I worry about what happens to everyone?", admittedly, we had around 10 PCs gighting complex battles with hudnreds of NPCs, so a round of combat could take up to half an hour.

That's more understandable.

Also, anybody with a job where they are on call, of COURSE they should answer their phone. Brief conversations aren't what this is about.

RPGPundit · May 08, 2018, 02:52:03 AM

Quote from: Shawn Driscoll;1037389No phone use. And no down time for players.

So you don't run campaigns where the entire PC party isn't necessarily together all the time?